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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22836460">IRL</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dune_Carrez/pseuds/Dune_Carrez'>Dune_Carrez</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, IN REAL LIFE, IRL, Inferno - Freeform, Ladybug - Freeform, Marinette Dupain-Cheng - Freeform, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, Paris - Freeform, Reality, Unreal, dimension, hero - Freeform, kwami - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 14:35:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,430</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22836460</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dune_Carrez/pseuds/Dune_Carrez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There are always consequences, however unreal they may be.</p><p>OS (or Fanction, I have not yet chosen) on the Miraculous universe - The adventures of Ladybug and Chat Noir. The characters belong to Thomas Astruc but this story belongs to me.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>IRL</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            A translation of

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/19473751">IRL</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dune_Carrez/pseuds/Dune_Carrez">Dune_Carrez</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Here is an attempt to translate my fiction.</p><p>It is a story with many descriptions, images and metaphors. The translation is more than difficult :/</p><p>There are 6 chapters in the original story but at the beginning there was only one chapter (an OS). For the translation, I don't know if I will do the rest. I'm too afraid that this chapter is already a disaster, I don't want to make it worse.</p><p>If you see any faults, inconsistencies, let me know. I would like to protect this text xD #saveIRL</p><p>And if you would read the rest, let me know, and I will do the necessary !</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The air was heavy at this beginning of July. During the day, the asphalt ribbon gave itself desert airs, while its dark surface in the distance seemed covered from the saving liquid. Simple optical illusion. And even after dark, the streets of the capital retained the heat of the day, turning into an oven, without any breeze coming to lighten these suffocating evenings.</p><p>People were trying to cool off as much as they could whether at home in front of their air conditioner, at the municipal swimming pool or on the terrace of cafes, an iced drink in their hands. And a few brave persons faced up to the heat, wandering the streets without it reaching them.</p><p>She observed discreetly this incessant ballet, analyzing this landscape that she thought she knew. But it was not. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, bringing her damp hair back. This heat risked having her life and the whole combined with this ball of stress, which was only getting bigger, did not help matters, far from it. She leaned against the stone wall, letting her bare shoulders rest on the cool surface, then stared at her hands. She folded and unfolded her fingers while swallowing her saliva with difficulty. She guessed the irregular grain of her skin, as well as the fine down that covered her forearms. She felt like she saw differently. Much better and at the same time less well. Her brain was not really decided. One thing was sure, everything was less smooth, rawer but not less distinct.</p><p>The hubbub in the adjacent street brought her back to reality. She still couldn't get over it of the concentration of people walking the streets. She had never seen so many people in her city, never. And she was almost sure that many of the sentences spoken were not in her native language. She frowned her eyebrows before standing up. She had to pull herself together and stop focusing on details that, for now, were the least of her worries. She had more important to manage.</p><p>She took a deep breath before slipping into the flow of passers-by. Her nose raised, she fixed her gaze upon to everything around her. She then noticed a kiosk where a young man was selling newspapers. It lifted a weight off her mind in the second, it could only help her, she was sure. She quickly scanned the headlines displayed on the storefront, frowning as she went along. She quickly flipped through one of the periodicals and felt her heart drop to the ground. And his body began to tremble.</p><p>"Hey, if you want to read it, you have to pay," the salesman said without kindness.</p><p>She turned her livid face towards him.</p><p>“Oh, don’t feel faint.”</p><p>Approaching, he noticed the page on which she had stopped reading.</p><p>“Yeah it's not easy these days but hey what can we do? We can't make ends meet and it's almost the civil war every Saturday. The government is more concerned with rebuilding Notre-Dame than with getting its own citizens out of this mess. So, save the other countries, the planet, you imagine that this is not the priority.”</p><p>She let her gaze fix the empty without saying anything.</p><p>“I don't even know why I'm telling you that, I’m sure you don't even speak French.”</p><p>He retrieved the newspaper to put it back in its place and left to chat with a client who had just arrived. Still in shock, she continued her way, arms tight against her body. Although everything seemed different, some things remained the same. After about twenty minutes of walking, she finally arrived at her destination. She felt her eyes moisten with disconcerting speed when she could only observe the damage. The towers of Notre-Dame still stood proudly but we could not miss the countless scaffolding which now surrounded its walls, and which came out of its belly. Her breathing became more labored and she hastened to sit on a stone bench before feeling unwell.</p><p>
  <i>Attacks. Dead. Hurricanes. Fires. Tsunamis. Wars.</i>
</p><p>An endless list of portentous words was spinning in her head. And the ruins of her dear cathedral, which she imagined with pain consumed by the flames, only came to make more real everything she had read.</p><p>She did not understand. She did not understand what was going on. She wiped away the tears that had made their way onto her cheeks and walked away from the distressing sight. She had to understand and for that she had to move forward.</p><p>She let her feet drag her through the maze of streets, with no specific goal. She felt horribly lonely and lost. And the heat didn't help her business. She had the funny feeling of having fallen into hell. She then walked past a toy store and her eyes were drawn like a magnet to the last window. She hurried on to come and stand in front of the storefront. A relieved smile took shape on her face and a laugh escaped her lips. She put her forehead on the glass.</p><p>“Are you a fan too?” a small voice asked her.</p><p>She jumped violently. Beside her was a young teenage girl. Her squared brown hair framed a face still marked by the curves of childhood. She faced two laughing brown eyes.</p><p>“I devoured the first two seasons in just a few days. The animation is nice, and the evolution of the characters is downright cool. I can't believe I can appreciate Chloe now. And you, who is your favorite character?”</p><p>Her heart contracted brutally. She looked back at the shop window, sadness appearing on her features. She was in a nightmare.</p><p>Her interlocutor looked at her strangely in the absence of an answer. She rummaged in her jacket pocket before giving him a small piece of paper.</p><p>“It's Japan Expo today and tomorrow,” she explained to her in rough English. “But if you go there today you can attend the creator's conference,” she said while showing her a man on the flyer. “Last year was cool, he explained how he came up with such an idea. It must be said that it is not very common,” she said, laughing softly. “Can you imagine if it really existed?”</p><p>She grabbed the flyer while fixing her interlocutor. The ridiculousness of the situation could have made her laugh in other circumstances. Then everyone seemed to think that she did not understand a word of French, but in the end, it almost settled her. The fewer interactions it has here, the better. She forced a smile on her lips to thank the girl and she ends up continuing her way without looking back.</p><p>Once she disappeared from her field of vision, she analysed the piece of paper with new determination. It was her chance. And she couldn’t let it pass.</p><p>After what seemed like hours, she finally found herself in front of the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre. She must have used ingenuity to manage to take the transport without being caught. Not that she didn't want to pay or anything, but she had nothing on her, and she had no choice. But her victorious arrival was eclipsed in the blink of an eye when she noticed the endless queue looming along the building. She would never go in. At least not by conventional means.</p><p>She let her gaze sweep the surroundings until she found a quiet corner. She rushed over and checked several times that no one was looking in her direction. She took a deep breath, knowing in advance that the result would be painful.</p><p>"Tikki," she whispered.</p><p>Only silence answered her.</p><p>She stifled a curse. She was alone when faced with this problem. But that didn't mean that nothing would work. Maybe it was just different, like everything around him. Anyway, she had nothing to lose.</p><p>“Tikki ... spots on.”</p><p>Nothing happened for a few seconds, then the usual flow of magic spread across her body, covering her with comforting warmth. The weight on her heart became lighter and she sighed in relief as she noticed her costume. She silently thanked her friend who, for she did not know what reason, did not appear, but no doubt that somehow, she was here with her. The thought alone comforted her more than she expected.</p><p>Then she finally came out of her hiding place and, with a determined step, approached the entrance. She felt the curious looks on her of the hundreds of people in the queue, but she didn't care. Once at her destination, she stood in front of security.</p><p>"I absolutely have to come in," she said in a loud voice.</p><p>One of the officers barely glanced at her before bringing new people inside.</p><p>“You must stand in line like everyone else, Miss.”</p><p>Seeing that the girl did not move, he approached before showing her the end of the line.</p><p>“You must go there. I don't care if your cosplay is cool, I won't let you in.”</p><p>The girl smiled at him.</p><p>“Okay,” she just replied.</p><p>Satisfied, the security guard turned around, ready to continue his work, when the sound of a cable, uncoiling at full speed, was heard on his left. Children began to shout, visibly happy with the spectacle that was unfolding before their eyes while the older ones watched the scene, speechless. He noticed a red lightning bolt rise from the ground to come and perch on the edge of the little roof which overlooked the main entrance.</p><p>"Don't blame me," the girl cried, "but I really have to come in.”</p><p>He did not have time to dodge a gesture that the girl had fallen flexibly in front of the doors and had opened them in stride. He then grabbed his walkie-talkie angrily.</p><p>She would run as if her life depended on it. She didn't doubt for a second that she would have company quickly, she did not have time to spare.</p><p>“Mom look! It's Ladybug!”</p><p>The young heroine stopped short in her run and noticed the child who was pulling her mother by the hand to come towards her. The child was in front of her in no time at all. She then squatted down to her, perhaps this meeting would bring her some precious information.</p><p>“You're Ladybug, right?” she asked her, her eyes sparkling.</p><p>The girl nodded gently.</p><p>“And I'm on a secret mission. But maybe you could help me?” she suggested while smiling gently at the mother.</p><p>The child shouted for joy, delighted to be able to help his favorite heroine.</p><p>“I'm looking for Thomas Astruc's booth, do you know where it is?”</p><p>With the help of the mother, who came enlighten her daughter's confused explanations, she ended up getting the information she was looking for.</p><p>“Thank you for your help,” she said while holding out her fist.</p><p>The child struck her fist, with joy, against that of the girl dressed in red.</p><p>“Pound it!” they said in chorus.</p><p>As she got up, she heard a voice scream behind her.</p><p>“She's there!”</p><p>She didn't even try to find out more and swung her yo-yo over the exposed beams to climb high, under the bewildered gaze of the crowd, and continue her way. Her time was limited.</p><p>When she finally noted the booth, she saw security taking the person she was looking for. She redoubled her efforts to reach her target as quickly as possible, before she lost sight of him. She finally lands in front of the small group, blocking their way.</p><p>Security stood in front of Thomas Astruc, ready to fight. She raised her hands as a sign of peace.</p><p>“I must talk to Mr. Astruc, it's very–”</p><p>“Back up,” one of the agents bellowed.</p><p>She stiffened in the moment. She squeezed her fingers on her yo-yo and thought quickly. They did not understand. She had no choice. The look of the security guard became stern and she prepared to fight.</p><p>“What happens at the end?” a deep voice thundered, more than irritated.</p><p>The girl looked at the back of the group. The security agents were firmly pushed, despite their objections, by their protégé. She easily recognized the man she was looking for and a wave of relief came to untie her tense muscles. Thomas Astruc could not miss the girl in a red suit with black polka dots who was now facing her, and his eyes widened in surprise. He knew the heroine by heart for having drawn and brought to life it countless times and the cosplay of the girl was more than perfect. Really too perfect.</p><p>“Mr. Astruc, I'm sorry for all this mess but–”</p><p>“Who are you?” he interrupted her.</p><p>But he didn't give her time to answer. </p><p>“Never mind. If you want an autograph I do it for you, but it's not worth sow discord for that.”</p><p>"I'm Ladybug," she gasped, as her caller grabbed a pen in his shirt pocket.</p><p>There was heavy silence around the perimeter. Everyone watched the girl breathing hard, as if to catch her breath after her cry from the heart.</p><p>"I'm Ladybug," she said almost imploringly.</p><p>She gently raised her yo-yo, her eyes anchored in those of Thomas Astruc.</p><p>"Lucky charm," she whispered.</p><p>A bright red light was emitted from her accessory, before a heap of insects suddenly materialized. They clustered together, coming to take a rectangular shape, then they disappeared, leaving only a red envelope with black dots as a trace of their passage, which fell back into the girl's hands.</p><p>She put her yo-yo back on her hip before approaching carefully.</p><p>“It's for you,” she said while handing her new item to Thomas Astruc.</p><p>Speechless, he grabbed the envelope without taking his eyes off her.</p><p>“I need help,” she begged. “And what could be better than that of our ... creator?”</p><p>He was overwhelmed by events, none of this made sense. And yet. The smallest detail of the face facing him was more than familiar. Everything was there. The movement of the hair, the peculiar color of her eyes, down to the slightest freckle.</p><p>It couldn't be a simple hoax.</p><p>His fingers tightened on the envelope.</p><p>No, definitely not.</p><p>“What is going on?” he just asked, in an uncertain voice.</p><p>The relief came to light up the girl's blue eyes for a moment. Nothing was won, but at least she was no longer alone, she was sure of it.</p><p>"Chat Noir has disappeared," she swung point blank.</p><p>She took a deep breath before continuing:</p><p>“And I'm the only one who remembers that he existed.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <b>THE END (or not)</b>
  </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you liked it.</p><p>I look forward to your feedback and maybe see you soon.</p><p>Xoxo</p></blockquote></div></div>
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